When Hero MotoCorp Managing Director Pawan Munjal pronounced "the dawn of a new era" at a press conference prior to the opening of Auto Expo in New Delhi last week, his words meant much more than customary auto company MD rhetoric. When Honda and Hero decided to part company in December 2010, with Honda’s long term agreement to provide technology to the Hero Honda company until the end of 2014 looming, Hero faced the seemingly insurmountable task of replacing Honda's world-leading motorcycle designs inside exactly four years.

Whether it liked it or not, Hero MotoCorp has been entering a new era since it agreed to pay Honda US$1,000,000,000 for its 25 percent share of the publicly listed Hero Honda, (a company with 50 percent market share of Indian motorcycle sales) and then face its former partner, the world’s undisputed heavyweight champion manufacturer of two-wheelers, as a direct and determined competitor.

The battle is now on for market leadership in the world’s biggest motorcycle and scooter market, with battles that will impact markets globally soon to follow.

"We have been challenging the routine and the conventional ... our new motto is to drive change through path-breaking innovations ... We have now successfully developed an ecosystem of technology research and development that is designed to think beyond the obvious and deliver future-ready mobility solutions.” Pawan Munjal. Hero MotoCorp Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

After three years of Hero MotoCorp preparing for the end of 2014, the critically important 2014 Indian Auto Expo was “show time” in more ways than one. It was the final opportunity to deliver a convincing new range at India’s most important auto show before it becomes entirely reliant on its own resources.Cometh the hour, cometh the company

Munjal summed up the Hero vision when he said: “Being the global leader in two-wheelers, we have been challenging the routine and the conventional. Our new motto is to drive change through path-breaking innovations. With our finger on the pulse of the youth, we are therefore developing products that will cater to customers around the world, both in the near- and long-term. We have now successfully developed an ecosystem of technology research and development that is designed to think beyond the obvious and deliver future-ready mobility solutions.”

Over the course of the Auto Expo, Hero delivered on that vision with a broad range of new motorcycles and scooters and several convincing prototypes and pre-production models that demonstrated just what can be achieved with two wheels when you really think about it.

Pawan Munjal and the most futuristic prototype shown this year - the Hero ion. Indeed, it's perhaps even more futuristic than any motorcycle we've ever seen at a motor show, with perhaps the exception of Kawasaki's shape-shifting "J" three-wheeled electric concept from the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show which closed in December, 2013.

We’ve already covered Hero’s ingenious RNT turbo-diesel-electric utility concept, but there were a number of other bikes shown in New Delhi that demonstrate entirely new thought. Hero’s next-generation range includes the predictable slew of traditional scooters, plus more than a few new prototypes that indicate what more mature markets will see when Hero arrives, which it most certainly will: the 620 cc Hastur lightweight streetfighter; the new 250 cc HX250R single cylinder sports bike; the futuristic ion fuel-cell motorcycle with Lithium-air batteries; the featherweight next generation electric SimplECity; the Zir Superscooter; and the Serial Hybrid ‘LEAP’ Scooter. Full rundowns on all of those bikes are deeper into this article, but first the background on one of the most intriguing stories in automotive history.The catalyst for Hero MotoCorp's new era: the Hero Honda Divorce Settlement

Hero MotoCorp is India’s largest motorcycle manufacturer and as a stand-alone company, the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer too. Dr. Brijmohan Lall Munjal began the family business in 1956, manufacturing bicycles in Amritsar – the company was named Hero Cycles.

As India's massive population needed transport, the company's bicycle manufacturing business grew every year, becoming the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world during the early 1980s. Hero Cycles’ founder Dr. Brijmohan Lall Munjal is now the Chairman of a board of 11 which includes three other directors with the surname Munjal. It may be a publicly listed company, but it is still very much a family company in many respects.

Using the cash generated by the bicycle business, Hero Cycles partnered with Honda to create Hero Honda in 1984. The partnership has been very successful with well publicized sponsorships and corporate citizenship efforts and a dealership network of 7000 touchpoints that have made it a very visible company that India is proud of – a national icon of Indian business success.This simple table of Indian automotive and motorcycle sales over the last few years illust...

Using Honda technology and Hero’s deep rooted local knowledge of the vast and complex country’s transportation needs, Hero Honda achieved double digit growth every year to become the world’s largest single manufacturer of two-wheelers, driven by a dominant share of the Indian two-wheeler market, which overtook China to become the largest motorcycle market in the world in 2012.

Though the Indian economy is somewhat sluggish at present, and the country’s roads choked by the growing number of cars, the health of the motorcycle industry is largely assured as two wheels is the only way to avoid the endless traffic jams. India is also projected by the UN to become the world’s most populous country just 14 years from now, so for personal transport, motorcycles and scooters are the only viable game in town.

China was the world’s largest domestic motorcycle market until recently, peaking at 19 million units in 2009, then declining every year since to 13.9 million units in 2013 when brutal emission regulations were introduced in cities to tackle the country's rampant pollution, and internal combustion engined motorcycles were banned in many such cities.

The Chinese market is also far less accessible to manufacturers than India’s, and considerably more fragmented with more than one hundred motorcycle manufacturers scraping out an existence. No less than 29 Chinese motorcycle manufacturers posted a loss in this highly competitive marketplace in 2013, and the remorseless laws of economics are inducing a natural cull of the weakest.

Predictably, the world's largest motorcycle markets are now highly populous countries with emerging economies – India, China, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam. Myanmar will be next.

It was in late 2010 that Hero Honda’s major partners agreed to split.

Honda already had an independent manufacturing and distribution company in India, named Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), with two production plants and expansion plans, and the Hero Honda partnership restricted the company’s sales footprint to within India. Selling half a million motorcycles a month had whetted the appetite of the Munjal family to expand its horizons beyond India’s borders, just as it had whetted Honda’s appetite to dominate the gargantuan Indian marketplace as it dominates all other major markets.

While Hero can claim to be the world’s biggest single motorcycle company, combining all Honda motorcycle companies around the world gives it roughly three times the global sales of Hero – 17.2 million sales in 2013, with year-on-year growth of 8.5 percent over 2012. Honda holds a 30 percent share of the global market

Wikipedia’s explanation of the irreconcilable differences which led to the relationship breakdown covers some of the key points, but we all know there are many complex factors in any relationship, and they take on more complexity when billions of dollars are at stake. Honda agreed to sell its shares in Hero Honda to the Munjal family at a discount, so it obviously wanted out of the relationship more than the Munjal family. Regardless, the once happy couple split and Hero Honda became Hero MotoCorp.

Neither party has wasted any time in getting on with life after the divorce either. Honda last week announced yet another new production plant to built in India – the new Gujarat plant will come on line next year with an initial annual production capacity of 1.2 million units. That’s on top of existing plants in Haryana (1.6 million motorcycles a year), Rajastha (1.2 million motorcycles a year), and another plant at Karnataka (1.8 million motorcycles a year) which has been announced and built since the split. Honda will soon have the production capacity to match Hero within India alone – it is also ramping up its dealership network.

Hero Motocorp’s ingenious rethink of the scooter form factor in the RNT hybrid turbo-diesel-electric prototype offers significantly more practicality than the existing scooters in the marketplace for developing countries.

Honda is going after Hero’s dominant Indian market share, and Hero, knowing its near 50 percent share of the world’s largest market will be difficult to defend in the face of massively increased competition, is expanding into new markets.

Initially, Hero will target developing countries where the two-wheelers it is crafting for its home market needs will be considered most desirable – the developing markets of Africa, South America and Asia. Countries slated for initial Hero motorcycle distribution include Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Peru, Nepal, Mozambique, Kenya, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Guatemala, Salvador, Egypt, Ecuador, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and Angola.

Hero is standing strong at present, with only minor sales erosion in its home market to date. Honda’s concerted push for market leadership is hurting the former number two market share holder Bajaj much more than it is hurting Hero. Honda moved into second place in the market during 2013 and by December, had increased its margin over Bajaj considerably.

In December 2013, Bajaj sold 260,645 bikes, Honda sold 296,144 and Hero sold 524,990. By comparison, in December 2012, Bajaj sold 298,350, Honda sold 217,498 and Hero sold 541,615. That’s 12.6 percent down for Bajaj, 3.0 percent down for Hero and 54 percent up for Honda. All the other major manufacturers grew year-on-year in December, with Yamaha 13 percent up, TVS up 2 percent, Suzuki up 10 percent and Mahindra up 267 percent.

In January 2014, Hero MotoCorp sold 489,322 two-wheelers (494,109 in January 2013 so down 1 percent), Bajaj sold 167,869 (196,023 in January 2013 so down 14.4 percent), and Honda sold 153,930 (105,968 in January 2013 so up 45.2 percent), in a market which grew to by 8.85 percent to 1,313,796 units from 1,206,931 in the January, 2013.

A breakdown of motor vehicle sales in the Indian domestic marketplace from the Society of ...

A breakdown of motor vehicle sales in the Indian domestic marketplace from the Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers indicates the importance of the motorcycle to personal transportation in what will soon become the world's largest country.

Clearly, the mother of all battles is shaping up between the former partners, not just in India, but also on the global stage.

Many believed Hero would falter in the absence of Honda, particularly so given that it’s former partner was focused on becoming a fierce competitor, but Hero’s sales have largely continued to grow during the period it has been acquiring its own technology.

Last August when the company delivered its 50 millionth motorcycle to the Indian-only marketplace in just 29 years, plans were announced for international distribution of Hero’s bikes into 50 countries with 20 new manufacturing facilities across the globe and a target of the next 50 million motorcycle sales within seven years.

Last October (2013), Hero sold a record 625,000 motorcycles in India alone – that’s one every four seconds, including a single day on October 21, 2013 when it sold 110,000 motorcycles. Most countries don’t see that many motorcycles sold in a year, with all marques combined. With a still dominant market share of motorcycle sales to India’s immense population, Hero has an economy of scale almost beyond comprehension, and that in developing and owning its own technology, it can apply its massive manufacturing scale and low-cost workforce to supply motorcycles worldwide.

Hero MotoCorp CEO Pawan Munjal laid the foundation stone of the ‘Hero Centre of Global Innovation and R&D’ – about 20 kilometers north of Jaipur during September. Munjal was joined by the company’s global technology partners, Erik Buell (EBR), Alberto Strazzari of Engines Engineering, Italy and Markus Feichtner of AVL, Austria.

Hero briefly flirted with purchasing Ducati but passed on the opportunity and is now well down the road of replacing Honda's designs with its own, blending the expertise of technology partners with its own capabilities to produce new motorcycles that it believes will suit the developing world even more. In September 20013, Hero announced the creation of a US$73 million Hero Centre of Global Innovation and Research & Design at Kukas, near Jaipur in Rajasthan.Replacing Honda's technology

Replacing Honda's vast design and proprietary technological resource was obviously a herculean task, perhaps one of the industrial world's greatest ever challenges. After 30 years of having its designs delivered from Japan, the company had four years to completely replace the expertise of the world's most technologically advanced motorcycle company – from scratch.

The job of replacing Honda’s not inconsiderable expertise fell to Hero MotoCorp’s CEO and Managing Director Pawan Munjal, the hands-on representative of the Munjal family which controls the majority shareholding of Hero MotoCorp.

The strategy is to develop its own technologies and partner with the right companies to develop the expertise it needs quickly, and to have those partners work with Hero at the Hero Centre of Global Innovation and R&D (GIRD).

Hero has quickly scaled up its in-house R&D and design facilities and in December announced it has over 400 engineers working on the future product line-up. The company’s current R&D centers in Gurgaon and Dharuhera will relocate to the GIRD on the outskirts of Jaipur when it is completed, thus creating a nucleus for the development of key technological functions and reducing dependence on external vendors.

To date, four major technology partnerships have been struck over recent years involving EBR of America, Engines Engineering of Italy, Magneti Marelli of Italy and AVL of Austria.Magneti Marelli Joint Venture

A Joint Venture between Hero MotoCorp and Italy's Magneti Marelli was announced in December 2013 and it’s very significant for both companies, despite the equally impressive size of the Italian technology specialist (37,000 employees, 83 production facilities, 12 R&D centers and 26 application centers in 19 countries). Magneti Marelli is at the forefront of development of many automotive technologies, with its advanced fuel, ignition, suspension, powertrain and exhaust technologies on display in many of the race machines in F1, MotoGP, WSBK and WRC events.

The intention is for the Hero-MM joint venture to develop its own autonomous R&D center. As Hero expands its global footprint at a fast pace, this will enable the company to develop products featuring appropriate technology for different customers in geographies across the world.

The Hero-MM joint venture will focus on the development of specialized electronic fuel injection systems to improve engine performance, fuel efficiency and emission reduction, particularly in the different climates, altitudes and with the fuel peculiarities that occur in the developing markets Hero is initially targeting. In many countries, motorcycles need to be able to run on multiple and continuously varying fuel blends, even from one gas station to the next. With the advance of digital technology into every aspect of engine management systems, MM’s expertise in this area will expedite R&D efforts dramatically.

Close ties with MM will also bring valuable knowledge to many areas of functionality of motorcycles in the future, with obvious benefits in the development of motorcycle-smartphone communications, telematics, immobilisers, traction control, electronically-controlled suspension systems, ad infinitum. Almost certainly many of the technologies on show in the astonishing Hero ion concept bike (discussed below) involved delving into Magneti Marelli R&D’s bag of tricks.

Engines EngineeringEngines Engineering of Italy has been involved in styling many motorcycles and scooters fo...

The partnership with Italy’s Engines Engineering was announced in September 2012 and the aim of the exercise is to bring styling and external design to the Hero equation.

The Bologna-based firm has worked with many motorcycle companies, including major players such as Yamaha, Benelli and Gilera. The company was responsible for the styling of the Yamaha MT-03 and XT660Z (pictured above) plus the aggressive TNT (also pictured above) and scooters too numerous to mention for many brands (including the Yamaha Majesty) and has also done extensive aerodynamic development for Grand Prix teams for many years.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India cut prices of its products by up to Rs 7,600...

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today cut prices of its products by up to Rs 7,600 after the excise duty reduction announced in the Interim Budget 2014-15.

"Honda welcomes excise duty relief given to auto industry in the interim Budget... Honda has decided to pass the full benefit of 4 per cent excise duty reduction on two-wheelers to its valued customers across India with immediate effect," HMSI said in a statement.

HMSI sells a range of scooters including the Activa and Deo, and motorcycles such as Dream Yuga, CB Stunner, CB Unicorn and CB Twister among others.

Presenting the Budget yesterday, Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced reduction in excise duty on small car, motorcycles, scooter and commercial vehicles to 8 per cent from 12 per cent, and on SUVs to 24 per cent from 30 per cent.

Large cars also saw excise reduction to 24 per cent from 27 per cent earlier, and mid sized cars to 20 per cent from 24 per cent.

Honda PCX125 is the best-selling scooter in the UK and has a solid following around Europe, as well. Both the 125 and its bigger, 150 sibling are being upgraded and updated for 2014, for even more fun and convenience.

First of all, both scoots receive new tires which offer less rolling-resistance, thus allowing them to reduce the fuel consumption, while lesser engine friction is also helping a better, longer ride.

At the same time, the fuel tanks have been upped from 1.6 imp. gal. to 2.1 (7.3 – 9.5 liters), and this helped improve the single-fill range at 217 miles (349 km) for the PCX150 and 233 miles (375 km) for the smaller version.

At the same time, the 2014 Honda PCX150 displacement went up from 149cc to 153cc.

These scooters now have LED lighting hazard lights, a 12V adapter in the storage compartment, a new clock function for the dash and a more powerful battery. The Idling Stop function also detects the battery status and turns the feature off to prevent excessive drain.

They will be available this spring in Pearl Cool White, Pearl Nightstar Black, Moondust Silver Metallic, Pearl Siena Red, Matt Carbonium Grey Metallic and Pearl Havana Brown, according to cpuhunter.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) today announced “Service on Wheels”. Having doubled its network from 1,400 touch-points in FY’12 to a projected 2,700 touch-points by end of current FY’2013-14.

Honda “Service on Wheels” (SoW) initiative boosts last mile connectivity. SOW goes to every village with Honda’s iconic scooter Activa and includes Trust of Honda with Genuine Honda parts and assured quality service for customer satisfaction and professional service through SoW technicians who are are trained, skilled and professional. Activa for SoW will be made available at all 782 Honda dealerships by March’14 end launch.

Mr. Keita Muramatsu – President & CEO, HMSI said, “I am happy to announce the all India launch of “Service On Wheels”. With SoW, we are empowering every 2Wheeler customer of Honda, from a professional to even a housewife to experience Honda’s trusted quality service. This would help us further strengthen the trust of our customer in Honda.”

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) have planned another premium commuter bike under the Dream range. This new bike will be launched in first half of the next fiscal, by June 2014. It will go a long way in affirming the fact that HMSI is among the leading sellers of motorcycles in the country.

The new Dream premium commuter bike in the making at HMSI could be a 109cc bike also seen on board Dream Yuva and Dream Neo in the form of a single cylinder, air cooled, four stroke engine offering peak power of 8.4 PS, reveals Zigwheels.

The new bike in the Dream range will receive a host of updates and features in the form of new body decals, alloy wheels, disc brakes and a state of the art instrument console, while it will sit on tubeless tyres. The new Dream bike will be launched by next fiscal and will be priced higher than both Dream Yuga and Neo which retails from INR 49,155 to INR 52,841.

At the recently concluded 2014 Auto Expo, HMSI also displayed its new Honda Activa 125 scooter. Though no launch dates have been revealed, it is predicted that Activa 125 scooter will enter the Indian bike market just after launch of the next motorbike while it will receive a 125cc single cylinder engine capable of 8.6 bhp peak power at 6500 rpm and 10.12 Nm torque at 5500 rpm. The engine is mated to a V Matic transmission.

Honda and the NHTSA announce the recall campaign number 14V056000, addressing at least 6,954 motorcycles in the new CB500 and CBR500R series. Model year 2013 CB500 (FA, F, XA, X) and CBR500 (RA, R) motorcycles are affected by the issue.

Certain bikes may have been equipped with incorrectly manufactured rocker arm shaft retaining bolts. In certain conditions, these bolts may come loose during engine operation. A loose bolt will first lead to a slow leak of engine oil. If not addressed properly, the bolt will come out of the cylinder head completely. This will lead to reduced power output and possibly the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Since these parts cannot be visually inspected by the rider and only a specialized mechanic is able to confirm the problem customers are being advised to contact their nearest Honda dealer and schedule a repair. Honda is notifying registered users, ad customers can also get in touch with the manufacturer at 1-866-784-1870. Dealers will repair the bikes by replacing the rocker arm shaft retaining bolts, free of charge.

So far, the NHTSA seem to have not received any report on accidents or injuries. The half-liter CB and CBR Honda series have been introduced in late 2012 and even John McGuinness rode a CBR500R in the Isle of Man TT in 2013.

Overview of the Honda Exhibition at the 30th Osaka Motorcycle Show 2014 and the 41st Tokyo Motorcycle Show

Tokyo, Mar 14, 2014 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda will exhibit a large variety of motorcycle models at the 30th Osaka Motorcycle Show 2014 from Friday, March 21 (a national holiday) to Sunday, March 23 at Intex Osaka and the 41st Tokyo Motorcycle Show from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, March 30 at Tokyo Big Sight.

PCX (exhibition model, planned for production)zoomPCX (exhibition model, planned for production)CBR650F (exhibition model, planned for production)zoomCBR650F (exhibition model, planned for production) CB400 SUPER FOUR (production model)zoomCB400 SUPER FOUR (production model)CB1300 SUPER BOL D'OR (production model)zoomCB1300 SUPER BOL D'OR (production model) Honda will unveil the world premiere of its concept motorcycle model at the Osaka Motorcycle Show, and also feature exhibition models planned for production, and current production models, a total of 24 motorcycles in Osaka and Tokyo. Under the slogan of "We Love Bikes," Honda will unveil new initiatives that point the way to a fun-filled lifestyle with motorcycles, including programs to communicate actively with show visitors and an area where visitors can experience the engine sounds firsthand through headphones while mounted on a motorcycle.

- Main vehicles to be exhibited

< Exhibition model making its world premiere, planned for production >

- 1 model, 2 types*Exhibited at both the Osaka and Tokyo Motorcycle Shows

< Exhibition models, planned for production >

- GOLDWING F6C "Street muscle cruiser" with punch, equipped with a horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine- VFR800F Mature sports tourer in pursuit of high status and the true fun of operating a motorcycle- CBR650F Full cowl, mid-sized sporty model with an inline 4-cylinder engine that delivers fun to an even broader spectrum of riders- CB650F Naked, mid-sized sporty model with an inline 4-cylinder engine that achieves the fun of both navigating a motorcycle and showing off its design- CBR250R 250 cc road sports model with a fully updated external design in pursuit of a sportier image- PCX 125 cc scooter with even higher quality after a full model change- GROM 125 cc compact sports model arriving in new colors

Production Models

Production models in the exhibition focus on new products such as the CB series, VFR1200X Dual Clutch Transmission, Dunk, and Monkey Kumamon Version. Vehicles on display will be dressed up in accessories to suggest ways to better suit your motorcycle lifestyle.

30th Osaka Motorcycle Show 2014: Dates and place

- Dates: Friday, March 21 to Sunday, March 23 10:00 am - 5:00 pm each day

*The press conference will be held at the Honda display booth on March 21 at 10:15 am, introducing Honda's initiatives and the world premiere model.

*For both shows, Honda Motorcycle Japan Co., Ltd. is in charge of planning and operations for the Honda display booths.

About Honda

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE:7267/NYSE:HMC) is one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles and power products and the largest manufacture of motorcycles in the world. Honda has always sought to provide genuine satisfaction to people worldwide. The result is more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries worldwide, producing a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment and automobiles that bring the company into contact with over 19 million customers annually. For more information, please visit http://world.honda.com.

For the first time since 2008, the Honda Red Riders made their way to Ford Field in Detroit, MI, for round 11 of the Supercross series. An impressive 50,856 fans were on hand to witness Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia claim fifth, while Muscle Milk-sponsored GEICO Honda‘s Justin Bogle rode to a career-high second in the 250SX competition.

450 Race:

Barcia put together a stellar performance in his heat race, launching his CRF450R off the line to a second place start and taking the lead a few laps in. He was able to stay composed under pressure, clinching the win and transferring directly into the main. Barcia was unable to duplicate his good start in the main event and found himself outside the top 10 heading into the first turn. Undeterred, he progressively moved through the field, making his way into sixth by the halfway point. He ultimately crossed the finish line in fifth.

Justin Barcia:

“Tonight didn’t end how I wanted. I finally got a good start in my heat race, which was awesome because that’s what I have been struggling with. I got around Cole [Seely] and lead the rest of the race. I definitely didn’t make it easy on myself in the main event. I got another bad start and had to work my way through a lot of people. I started to get really tired and tight towards the end of the race and was only able to make it up to fifth.”

During his final showing on the Team Honda Muscle Milk CRF450R, fill-in rider Cole Seely put together a respectable night. In his heat race, Seely nailed down the holeshot and lead for a few laps until being passed by Barcia. He relinquished one more position before taking the checkered in third, transferring him directly into the main. Once again in the main event, Seely propelled himself off the line to the holeshot. He was putting together a solid race when he got tangled with another rider and went down while running fourth. He remounted to finish 15th.

Cole Seely:

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity that Team Honda Muscle Milk has given me the last couple weeks. I’m bummed with how tonight went but overall think I rode really well. My starts were dialed tonight, I got the holeshot in both my heat and the main. In the main, I started making some little mistakes, which allowed a couple guys by me. Then while in fourth I got taken out, which sucked but I guess that is racing. I felt good though and I think the 450 suits me really well. With time I think I can be a threat in the class.”

It was a tough night for the Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda 450 crew, with Wil Hahn finishing 14th after going down early in the main event. Teammate Eli Tomac was sidelined for a second consecutive week after reinjuring his shoulder last weekend in Daytona.

250 Race:

Detroit also played host to round five of the Eastern Regional 250SX class, and Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle scored a career best second place finish. Bogle transferred into the main via a solid second-place finish in his heat. In the main event, he navigated his way to a third place start, moving into second a few laps in. He stayed on the heels of the leader for the full 15 laps, but could not get close enough to make the pass.

“This feels so good, and is certainly a step in the right direction,” explained Bogle. “It’s great to get GEICO and Honda up on the podium. I finally put myself in a good place at the start. I’ve got the speed and fitness to run with these guys. I’ve got a really good feeling heading into Toronto. I think it will be a good weekend, especially because it’s my birthday.”

Dare we say Honda’s been bingeing on Street Glide-style models? Some may consider it blasphemous to include the CTX in the same sentence with Street Glide, but when it comes to motorcycles sporting fairings with low-cut windscreens and hard luggage, Honda boasts five new ones: CTX1300/Deluxe, CTX700 and Gold Wing F6B/Deluxe.

On second thought, it’s actually unfair to the CTX and F6B to rank them among less-performing models such as Street Glides. In commendable fashion, Honda has taken a risk and created a niche market unto itself, the Sport-Touring-Bagger, comprised of the five models listed above.

We’ve ridden and reviewed the Gold Wing F6B and CTX700, but Honda’s press launch for the CTX1300 outside San Diego was the first opportunity to sample the second, and more substantial, model of the CTX family. You can read about the technical information in our 2014 Honda CTX1300 preview story. For this article, we’re sticking with riding impressions, which we’ll begin by saying that the CTX is as unique in its performance as it is with its styling.

The reengineered 1261cc V-4 motor differs from the ST1300 by way of camshafts, valves, throttle bodies and compression ratio to deliver more low- and mid-range power than its ST counterpart. Like the CTX700, the 1300 has a low, 7,000 rpm redline, which for traditional motorcyclists is a rev ceiling that takes some getting used to. Once familiar with the short-shifting nature of the V-4, keeping the engine in its powerband and riding its flat and seemingly endless torque curve becomes second nature.There’s enough cornering clearance to keep the pace exciting in the twisties. Braking performance is excellent. The CTX features Honda’s Combined Braking System (CBS) linking the rear brake to the center piston in the three-piston right-front brake caliper. A delay valve slows initial front brake response to minimize front-end dive.

There’s enough cornering clearance to keep the pace exciting in the twisties. Braking performance is excellent. The CTX features Honda’s Combined Braking System (CBS) linking the rear brake to the center piston in the three-piston right-front brake caliper. A delay valve slows initial front brake response to minimize front-end dive.

Engine performance is accompanied by a pleasingly throaty V-4 exhaust note that’s loud enough to make its presence known when cruising around town but quiet enough to not become bothersome at speed over long distances. We did notice a very unHondalike trait in some harsh off-to-on throttle response, resulting in tedious driveline lash that’s more of a nuisance than a deal breaker. Otherwise, the engine, five-speed transmission and shaft final drive performed dutifully throughout our day trip.

On hand at the intro were both the standard CTX ($15,999) and the Deluxe ($17,499). What you get for the $1,500 increase is ABS, TC (switchable), self-canceling turn signals, an audio package with Bluetooth connectivity, and a blacked-out styling treatment.

2014 Honda CTX700/N Review

Probably a first of its kind, the CTX’s self-cancelling turn signals function via the bike’s TC system. By using the same wheel sensors measuring speed, distance and time parameters, the ECU determines the completion of a turn and terminates the turn signal’s flashing. The system also accounts for changes in tire air pressure and wear-related changes in tire diameter. How’s that for high-tech blinkers? When signaling lane changes above 31 mph, the turn signal flashes for seven seconds regardless of distance traveled, and when below 31 mph, the signal ceases flashing after having traveled 131 yards.

Audio controls and instrument cluster adjustments are all located atop the faux fuel tank. Handlebar controls for volume or music track selection would be nice but probably not cost effective. The two storage compartments hold small items but are difficult to access with gloved hands.

The audio package on the Deluxe plays music via Bluetooth or USB connection. There is no AM/FM radio. The 20-watt per channel external speakers are powerful enough to be heard at lower speeds but are drowned out by wind noise at higher speeds. Sound quality is better behind the accessory tall windscreen. This is meaningless, however, if you have a Bluetooth-enabled helmet communication system directly linked to your Bluetooth music device – the best option for good sound quality.

When listening to the external speakers, the audio system features a three-level Speed-sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC) that adjusts music volume according to the speed you’re traveling. There’s also an auto mute function that mutes music when speeds dip below seven mph, and will return to the original setting at nine mph.

With a curb weight of 732 pounds (739 for Deluxe) the CTX1300 weighs only 36 pounds less than BMW’s six-cylinder K1600GTL. Thankfully the CTX’s low center of gravity masks its weight problem, but like the Gold Wing and ST1300, Honda needs to find a way to reduce the weight penalty of these machines to comparatively similar models from competing OEMs.

Honda outfitted a couple CTXs with the optional tall windscreen which creates a protective bubble without bothersome rear-helmet buffeting. Other accessories include a passenger backrest, rear trunk and heated grips.

The lockable, 35-liter saddlebags are nicely styled and easily accessible but not large enough to hold a full-face helmet (and there’s no helmet lock). While there’s no quick-release mechanism, the bags are removable via two internal bolts.

The CTX, with a non-adjustable fork and only preload-adjustable shock, maintained its composure when pushed hard in the canyons yet remained comfortably damped when traveling the freeway. The neutral riding position and friendly ergonomics also play a factor in promoting all-day comfort.+ Highs

Innovative design Comfortable Diverse application

- Sighs

Weight Driveline lash Saddlebag capacity

The CTX and CTX Deluxe fill a gap in both engine displacement and price in Honda’s lineup between the $7,799 CTX700 and $19,999 Gold Wing F6B. Since the CTX700’s introduction last year, Honda claims its sales have been relatively brisk. Honda is, of course, hoping for the same results for the 1300, but at double the MSRP of the smaller bike and targeted at experienced, traditional motorcyclists, it’ll be interesting to see how the bigger, more expensive CTX is accepted.

2014 Honda CTX1300 Specifications

For the right person, though, we can attest to the CTX1300 being a solid motorcycle built to fill a niche we didn’t know existed until Honda created it.

The battle for dominance in the world's largest motorcycle market between former partners Hero MotoCorp (Hero) and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (Honda) is set to spill over to scooters, with the Munjals-promoted firm working on introducing four new scooters over the next two years.

Unveiled at this year's Auto Expo in the capital, the 110-cc scooter Dash, 125-cc Dare and a commercial production-ready hybrid Leap are scheduled to hit the roads in 2014-15.

The 150-cc Zir would be launched in the first half of FY-16.

"When we launched Pleasure, scooters accounted for around 10 per cent of the two-wheeler market. It opened up a new market for scooters targeted specifically for women. The Maestro came in two years ago, aimed at men who preferred motorcycles, and considered scooters as not a very cool product. Since then we have gained traction. In the industry, nearly a quarter of two-wheeler sales comes from scooters. We have just touched the tip of the iceberg," says Anil Dua, senior vice-president (marketing & sales), Hero.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) is all geared up for the launch of new Activa 125. Slated to make its way into company showrooms in April 2014, the new Honda Activa 125 was on display at the 2014 Auto Expo and will come with Honda Efficiency Technology (HET).

Honda Activa 125 scooter will be offered in four exciting colours of midnight blue, black, pearl white and sword silver and will receive a 125cc single cylinder, four stroke engine offering peak power of 8.6 bhp at 6500 rpm and peak torque of 10.12 Nm at 5500 rpm while being mated to a V-Matic CVT. This engine is Honda’s new compact global engine specially designed for the company’s next generation of scooters promising improved fuel efficiency by 25% as compared to that offered by other engines of the same displacement. This engine will be produced within the country so as to keep prices affordable.

The new Honda 125cc scooter will receive features such as optional disc brakes, tubeless tyres and digital meter along with an all metal body. The scooter is to be produced in India at the company plant in Manesar with total production of 2 lakh units per annum.

To be called Honda Activa Plus (expected) once launched in the first week of April, the 125cc Activa will be offered in two variants, a base variant which will receive drum brakes while the top end variant will receive alloys with drum brakes. Featuring HET innovation, which is also seen on board Activa 110 and Activa-i, the new Activa 125 will be priced in the range of Rs 60-65k. It will deliver a mileage of 55-60 kmpl.

It’s taken a while, but the Honda CBR300R has finally been confirmed for North America, as Honda Canada announced it would be available in the fall as a 2015 model. American Honda has yet to announced whether it would offer the CBR300R, but with today’s announcement of the NM4 and PCX150, we expect the CBR250R replacement will also be coming a a 2015 model.

Discuss this at our Honda CBR300 Forum.

The news isn’t entirely surprising. Honda Canada had yet to announced the CBR250R for the 2014 model year, while 2013 models have offered at price of CN$3,999 (US$3630), a grand off its original MSRP.

Revealed at the CIMAMotor show in China last fall and again a few weeks later at Italy’s EICMA show, the new CBR300R is powered by a 286cc single-cylinder engine. The powerplant is based on the CBR250R’s engine but with a longer stroke. Honda says the extra 37cc bumps the claimed peak power output by about 17%, moving it closer to its nearest competitor, the Kawasaki Ninja 300.

The fairing is also new, now looking more like CBR1000RR’s design. Honda dropped the original CBR250R’s Y-shaped headlight design for a twin-headlight look, again putting it more in line with the larger CBRs.

The suspension consists of a 37mm telescopic fork and Pro-Link rear monoshock. A two-piston caliper stops the 296mm front disc while a single-piston caliper grips the 220mm rear disc. As with the CBR250R, anti-lock brakes are an available option, unlike in Europe where ABS is standard equipment for all CBR300R models.

Honda Canada has not announced pricing information for the 2015 CBR300R but we expect it will be close to the CBR250R’s original CN$4,999 asking price but below the CN$5,399 Kawasaki Canada is asking for the Ninja 300. Stay tuned for news on U.S. availability.

Honda has announced a new motorcycle – the 750cc NM4, which will be known as the Vultus in European markets – and it's a new species of motorcycle that represents such a bold departure from tradition that it could become a landmark in the evolution of motorized two-wheeled transport.

The NM4 (NM stands for "New Motorcycle") is styled along “Japanimation” lines, and though the cult anime/manga bodywork is no doubt challenging to the eye of existing motorcycle enthusiasts, it’s not the styling that sets the NM4 apart – it's the combination of the very low seat height, semi-recumbent, feet-first rider posture, adjustable backrest and large futuristic dashboard to create what Honda describes as the seating position and cockpit of a “fighter pilot.”

At just 650 mm (25.5"), the seat height of the NM4 is much lower than anything we've ever seen before in a 750 cc class, mass production motorcycle an indication that Honda is intending to produce large capacity motorcycles for people less than 170 cm (5' 7") tall.

When the Honda NM4 Vultus reaches showrooms later this year (2014), it will have the lowest seat height of any large capacity motorcycle at just 650mm. Whatsmore, note the location of the footboards and brake pedal. The NM4 Vultus is a recumbent motorcycle - a brave move from Honda.

What's more, the NM4 has been designed for ease-of-use. It comes standard with Honda's proprietary Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and Combined Brake System that includes a dual-channel Anti Lock Brake system (ABS).

Between the two systems, the two most-difficult aspects of riding a motorcycle (braking and changing gear) have been reduced to scooter-like simplicity. At the same time, by removing the necessity to have the rider's feet at the foot controls of a traditional motorcycle, it is offering a great deal more choice about riding position (while the foot brake still exists, its use is optional because the brake lever on the right handlebar operates both front and rear brakes through the linked braking system).

1 - Tapping new markets

The design of the NM4 facilitates several potentially rich new sources of customers for Honda.

The first and potentially largest new marketplace for the Vultus is in young style-conscious Asian countries where edgy futuristic Manga design is a desirable attribute, scooters are the most common form of personal transport, average height is considerably less, and riding motorcycles is not almost exclusively gender-specific as it is in Western society.

1-1 Eastern Markets

The first and potentially largest new marketplace for the Vultus is in young style-conscious Asian countries where edgy futuristic Manga design is a highly desirable attribute, scooters are the most common form of personal transport, average height is considerably less than in Europe and North America, and riding motorcycles is not almost exclusively gender-specific as it is in Western society.

Seat height is already a key decision-making criteria in the purchase of motorcycles for the small percentage of women in Western countries who buy them. In Asian countries nearly all existing large capacity motorcycles currently preclude women from the mix by virtue of their seat height, not to mention a significant proportion of males. Two-thirds of the world's population lives in Asia and has been raised in an environment where scooters ARE the family car.

1-2 Western Markets

The NM4 can also be expected to cultivate new customers in Western markets, as it will undoubtedly be the first large capacity motorcycle to appeal to non-enthusiasts with its futuristic Japanese cult styling and ease-of-use.

Drawing heavily from the futuristic bikes seen in the anime/manga illustrated books, television series and films, it has many similarities to Shotaro Kaneda's bike from Akira, and the work of Katsuhiro Otomo.

Known collectively as “Japanimation," both genres are established adult entertainment in Japan, woven into the fabric of society. Now, the philosophy, attitude, fashion and feeling of this originally Japanese entertainment form have spread worldwide and become a mainstream phenomena.

Finally, Honda is keen to attract car drivers onto motorcycles and it recognizes that the current state of the world's increasingly congested roads is driving change in the global personal transportation marketplace.

In advanced economies, a wind of change is sweeping through motorcycle land. After decades of refinement, enthusiast motorcycles are now astoundingly good and the enthusiast is already well catered for. The NM4 caters for the non-enthusiast who is not mired in traditional, often spartan motorcycle form factors.

1-3 Urban Markets

The imperatives of ever-increasing fuel pricing and road congestion are about to generate a new reason for the world's commuters to consider motorcycles as a form of transport, a reason which won't go away and will gradually increase to the point where it cannot be ignored. The time is coming where enthusiasts will no longer dominate the motorcycle market – commuters will rule.

2 - Vultus NM4: A very "New Motorcycle"

Just as technology freed the first generation of motorcycle riders from an array of hand throttles, advance-retard mechanisms and chokes a century ago, technology will now remove another layer of anachronistic control mechanisms left over from a prior generation.

My take is that the NM4 is designed by Honda to emancipate motorcycling one further step, to make riding a motorcycle as easy to ride as a scooter, and the Japanimation styling is just a sugar coating.

The introduction of a bike as radically non-traditional as the NM4 is brave new territory, even for a company with the resources of Honda. When announcing the bike at the Osaka Motorcycle Show, the synopsis in the first paragraph of the press kit read thus:

New model: A ground-breaking machine inspired by the desire to establish a unique riding experience and an identity not bound by standard motorcycle design, with strong echoes of futuristic bikes seen in Japanese movies. Created by a young design team who remained true to their original concept at every stage through to production, the NM4 Vultus brings radical style to the streets, with function from the future for a new breed of rider.

Honda is a big company. We make every kind of motorcycle. It’s great that sometimes we make a certain machine simply because we can and because we want to, not because we 'should'."

"The NM4 Vultus exists because of a passion from deep within our company. We wanted to create something special, not just in the two-wheeled world, but truly unique in the whole world - a machine that engages a human soul like no other."

"Our intention was to make something that makes every moment feel cinematic, and we want riding it to be an event – guaranteed – every single time.”Mr Keita Mikura, NM4 Vultus Project Leader, Honda Motor Company

Then followed the carefully chosen words of Mr Keita Mikura, the Project Leader for the NM4 Vultus, which are worth considering in context. Kimura's brief statement is reproduced under the image above.

Given the lukewarm reception Honda experienced with the DN-01, it has every reason to be nervous about how the NM4/ Vultus will be received by its public. Mikura's above words suggest the company has decided to forge ahead in this direction regardless, and we can expect the NM4 to be on the market a lot longer than its direct predecessor – the DN-01 was announced in 2005 at the Tokyo Motor Show, came to market in 2008 and was withdrawn in 2010. I was attendant at the 2005 launch of the DN-01, and I have no doubt that Honda thought the moment was a very significant one in its history.

The DN-01 (read Loz Blain's road test of the bike here) remains one of the very few large capacity motorcycles ever to have used an automatic transmission, in this case an ingenious CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), which worked well and offered many benefits to learners and experienced riders alike but was largely misunderstood and lambasted by the traditional motorcycle media.

Much of the DNA of the Vultus can be found in the DN-01, with its semi-recumbent seating position, electronically-controlled "Human Friendly Transmission" and equally human-friendly, big V-twin motor. The DN-01's motor was built for mid-range and usability, not outright horsepower and performance, and was roundly criticized by the same motorcycle media for its lack of outright horsepower.

Given the reception of the DN-01 at the cash register, and the response of a motorcycle media staunchly resistant to any motorcycle without sporting aspirations, Honda's move in releasing the NM4 is to be roundly lauded. It has regrouped following the disappointment of the DN-01 and is backing its own judgement on the future evolution of the motorcycle regardless of the opinion of the current change-resistant enthusiasts and a myopic motorcycle press. It is hoping to use its corporate momentum to take motorcycle design in a more practical direction.3 - Honda deliberately but gently breaks the traditional mold

Honda has thrown every bit of trickery and technology it can muster at the Vultus NM4 which combines both synthetic feel-good technologies and a full hand of electronic rider assistance technologies to make riding a motorcycle much easier. Honda's long term investment in R&D to develop expertise which gives it a competitive edge is being brought to bear to create the best possible user experience.

When Honda launched the CB750 nearly half a century ago, it created what enthusiasts commonly refer to as the UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) – a four cylinder bike with smooth power delivery, but lacking the character which motorcycle enthusiasts held dear. It might seem like a no-brainer now to create a compact multi-cylinder motorcycle, but the first few thousand bikes shipped from Japan to America had sand-cast casings for good reason – Honda wasn't sure the bike would sell and did not wish to invest in the tooling required for serious mass production until it had proof that the motorcycle was viable at the cash register. The rest is history.

When Honda discontinued its burly Valkyrie cruiser back in 2004, more than one editor at Cruiser was downright shocked. I fondly recalled touring the Marysville plant in Ohio where the massive machine (as well as the Gold Wing) was produced at the time, and wondered if, and when Honda would revive that muscle cruiser moniker, and how exactly it planned to do so. Ten years on, the long hoped-for resurrection of the Valkyrie has finally happened, but not that much of the new machine will remind you of the original.

Future Funky

At the press introduction, Honda reps came right out and admitted that the futuristic new styling is practically a 180-degree flip from the first Valk’s traditional layout. The new machine's underpinnings borrow liberally from the Gold Wing platform (which also includes the F6B), and include the same engine, frame and other key components. The acres of swoopy bodywork seen on other models in the Gold Wing line are there, but the fairing is not, and lines are more muscularly drawn than on either the standard Wing or the F6B. The ‘progressive styling’ exercise is clear, with virtually no external parts connecting it to the Valkyrie of yore. So even if the target customer is still a Baby Boomer (says Honda) wanting something other than a V-twin, he’ll probably still remember the original Valkyrie fondly.

Those Good Bones

The good news is that Valkyrie 2.0 is still rocking that muscular attitude, though it's certainly not via traditional retro styling, a la the old F6C. The familiar 1520cc six-banger has grown to 1832cc too, and although Honda says it's an unchanged GL 1800 engine, the Valkyrie does incorporate unique intake ducting. Under the skin, however, you'll find the same twin-spar aluminum frame as on the GL1800 and F6B (rather than the steel tube original), as well as the five-speed gearbox, clutch and shaft final drive. The new Valkyrie increases rake and trail a touch, and tweaks the front fork settings and rear suspension to match its reduced weight -- now 750 lbs., wet. In fact, the overall look is longer and lower, and the beefy 45mm fork is also stretched (though Honda chose not to make it upside-down this time). Weight distribution is also changed; it's now basically a 50/50 split, front/rear. A new rear subframe handles the different seating arrangement, though the fuel tank is in the expected location (out in front of the rider) rather than under the seat, as on the other two 'Wings. It carries a hefty 6.1 gallons, too. The Valk’s brakes get an upgrade too, with the floating front 310mm rotors beefier than the 296mm discs on the other two Wings, and now fitted with modern four-piston calipers. They also aren't linked, as they are on the Gold Wing. Lastly, the hoops are changed; a 19-inch wheel up front and a 17-inch rear wheel.

Walkaround

The new Valkyrie can be had in three color choices – Dark Metallic Red, Blue Metallic, and Black -- but the visual cue hitting you first will likely be the new, full LED headlight on the Valkyrie’s face. On the Red model, the light is trimmed with a chrome nacelle and covers, with chrome lower fork legs and a chrome tank-placed gas cap console (which is locking); Blue models have the headlight framed by a curved plastic housing that matches the blacked-out look of the entire fork, wheels, console, and frame (on the Black and Red models, only the fork uppers are black). The exposed flat-six engine gets the dark treatment too, with side-mounted radiators directly above sporting black ribs to great visual effect. The vibe is beefy yet refined, which is why we're a little disappointed that Honda cheaped out on the mirrors, going instead with parts-bin units. After the big headlamp, eyeballs will setttle on the large side-mounted radiator shrouds and intake cowls on the flank; unlike its GL1800 and F6B siblings, the stripped-down Valkyrie doesn’t fly a fairing, so the side-mounted radiators have unique covers that somewhat match the fenders and serve to usher wind away from the rider’s legs. Those big pieces of bodywork aren’t exactly sexy, but functionally, they also help re-direct hot engine air away from the rider (there's also an additional rear intake duct).

ABS is an available option, but it only comes on the black model. If you opt for ABS, you'll also get self-cancelling turn signals – which you’ll appreciate after messing with the stock model’s weirdly configured, upside-down turn signal/horn button arrangement.

Tweaking The Triangle

The wide saddle puts you at a reasonable 29 inches off the deck, with a nicely-shaped (if soft) bucket to meet your keister. Despite the new Valkyrie’s future-forward styling, most pilots will feel pretty natural behind that handlebar. That’s because it’s a wider, more traditionally-shaped bar that’s an inch thick (versus the thinner 7/8 inch F6B unit), and rubber-mounted. It's slightly higher (by 1.5 inches) and more forward (1.3 inches), which contributes to the Valkyrie’s more spread-out rider triangle. I found my torso angled a bit more forward, and my stubby arms reaching out to the grips more than on the F6B, but not uncomfortably so. Footpegs are also 1.3 inches higher (and slightly forward) than the F6B’s, so there's a touch more legroom for riders of all sizes. As another bonus, the Valkyrie includes a set of passenger grab rails near the rear pillion; both are removable, should you want to roll solo (an available accessory cover cleans up the mounting area).

But the Valkyrie is about performance, and a stab at the starter confirms the eerily smooth whirr from the flat-six mill. A light touch on the shift lever, an equally easy click, and a roll of the throttle nets that electric-like power surge. It may carry more mass than the original Valkyrie, but this bike also has access to plenty more power — after all, the GL1800 mill claims over 100 ft-lbs of torque, at the wheel. With the torque peak arriving at 4000 rpm and peak power hitting 1500 revs later, the Valkyrie gets up and goes impressively, though the initial hit comes later than on, say, on a V-twin. But it’s got snappier acceleration than the F6B or Big Wing, courtesy of its lighter overall mass - it’s hauling 60 lbs less than the F6B and nearly 154 less than the 'Wing. That better horsepower-to-weight ratio clearly pushes the Valkyrie into muscle bike status, not to mention helping its overall maneuverability. Honda says the Valk’s engine is unchanged from the standard GL1800 -- it runs with the same claimed 118 hp -- though we suspect that the freer-breathing intake and revamped exhaust provide some extra oomph as well. At freeway speeds, this engine absolutely shines, barely scraping 3000 rpm at 70 mph., with nary a vibe in sight.

In the twisties, the Valkyrie feels extremely well-composed for a 750-lb. rig, with neutral steering and good cornering clearance– we only touched a peg feeler down once. The bigger wheels change its overall manners, and there’s also no giant mass of frontal bodywork to dictate your line (as on its Wing sibs), so changing direction in corners doesn’t feel as ponderous. The Valkyrie simply seems less tippy. But even with the lesser mass, the Valkyrie steers a bit heavier than its two siblings. The only explanation we can offer is that its different tire and wheel sizes, and increased rake and trail numbers combined for a noticeable impact. The 19-inch front Dunlop, though, is 130mm wide and has a more aggressive profile than the F6B or Gold Wing. Fortunately, that doesn't impact stability; this machine tracks on sweeping turns like a long, burly freight train.

Suspension is a bit firmer than the more plush setup on the F6B and Gold Wing, but that's not unexpected on a non-touring bike, and it actually keeps the Valkyrie from compressing too deeply over the bigger pavement trenches. What's more, the rear Pro-Link single-shock can be easily adjusted for preload thanks to the click-wheel adjuster behind the left side panel.

Hauling all this machinery down requires some solid brakes, and even without the ABS option, the Valkyrie's are superior to the Wing’s excellent units, mostly because there’s less mass to stop and because of the larger rotor sizes. The rear 316mm disc works especially well, thanks to the generous contact patch of the somewhat beefy 180mm rear tire.

And then there's the sound: Honda engineers stressed that they were aiming for a high rpm howl coupled with a low speed rumble, and we'd say they came pretty close, thanks to some engineering wizardry inside the mufflers, which are unique to the Valkyrie. The deeper sound is a welcome change over the F6B’s appliance-like tones or the base Wing’s sewing machine whine. The Valkyrie also receives its own unique meter setup with an LCD digital speedometer, tachometer, trip meters, clock, and fuel-level gauge.

Acceptance?

People have compared the new Valkyrie to the Diavel, probably because both are performance-biased, and both truly expand the bounds of what can be considered a cruiser. I've ridden both in the last month, and I'd say the Honda will have an easier time being accepted into that persnickety club -- but then the Diavel isn’t riffing off an existing design, either, like the Valkyrie is.

This newest Honda cruiser proves to be an excellent motorcycle, but is it an acceptable evolution of the Valkyrie series? Only the new generation of riders can say for sure.